Safe in St. Vincent
In my dictionary one of the definitions of frustration is being able to acquire a solid Wi-Fi signal from 8 miles offshore, as I did yesterday, and then not being able to pick up that same signal when tucked into a little bay only 25 feet from shore. Oh well. I guess the high cliffs surrounding us right now don’t allow for the passage of radio waves all that well. 🙂
Because of this lack of connectivity, I’ll make this morning’s entry short but just so that our friends and family don’t worry, know that Rebecca and I, along with our friends on Earthling, made it safe and sound to St. Vincent yesterday and are now comfortably anchored in Cumberland Bay.
Over the course of yesterday’s 35 mile passage, we had everything from tropical squalls with 28+ knot gusts and large waves to glass-like water filled with dolphins playing in our bow wake without a breath of wind to cool us. Variety is the spice of life, is it not?
Even with the small interaction we have had with some of the friendly residents, we have already formed the opinion that St.Vincent is much more similar to Dominica than it is to St. Lucia, the island which we just departed. We’re looking forward to our time here, exploring a place which seems largely raw and untouched.
When you guys come in after a passage, do you typically secure the anchor and go and explore right away or do you relax and unwind and wait until your batteries are charged .
Depends on what time it is. Clearing customs is always the first order of business so if there is time, after getting the boat squared away, we head off to do that. Because it was quite far to do that here in St. Vincent, I took George from Earthling in our dinghy and the two of us raced off to get that sorted before they closed. Normally Rebecca and I would go together and it would be a bit more relaxed.
Hi
Just wondering how you guys handle such things as mail?
Also would be interested in hearing in a post what your favorite aspects of this lifestyle are…now that you’ve been at it awhile….(also least favorite) 😉
THANKS!
Hi Sandra
Our “address” is my sister’s place in Canada. She collects mail for us and would forward anything that is really necessary. In the two years that we have been cruising that has only been necessary once or twice. We do everything electronically. As for the other question, that would require a bit more thought. 🙂
Speaking of “Variety is the spice of life” have you and Rebecca met any(many) cruisers involved in “the lifestyle” or swinging – whatever you want to call it?
BWah-h-h-h-h! Can’t wait to hear the answer to this one!
My man Ric…..This should be good…
Interesting segue. 🙂
That’s not typically the subject matter discussed over sundowners.
Since I just sail in a little lake in IL while fixing a boat to retire onto, I make no claims as to being an expert on what sailing around the world means. But, since there is a big chunk of ice in the way one is going one way, and a big, ice-covered chunk of land in the way if one is going the other, I would think that anyone claiming to be sailing around the world will have to go east or west eventually.
I believe your navigational assumptions are true. 🙂
Do you guys pay for wifi or just look for unsecured APs?
Hi Ryan. That’s described pretty well here:
http://www.zerotocruising.com/how-do-you-get-internet-access/
In regards to the how you get your mail question, I’m traveling now in my RV, but use this service and it’s working out great. I get an email when I have new letters and can go online and see the scanned mail. If I want them to open and scan they will, or if I want it forwarded they will, or if I want it shredded they will. Family owned business, and I can use it anywhere in the world. http://www.sbimailservice.com/
That is a great option. We chose the much cheaper (FREE) route of using a family member. Without the family option available to us a professional service like that is probably what we would have used. We needed to maintain a Canadian address though which limited our choices.
Mike do you find now days that when you make a passage you end up motoring most of the way? (like the wind is always on your nose) Do you now sometimes wish you would have just bought a trawler or are you still happy being on a sailboat and having the option or sail or motor? Just wondering…….
A LOT of the Thorny path is sailing to windward so yes, we have done a lot of motoring. Down here we can pick our weather windows though to allow us to sail at least the majority of the time. I have been on some beautiful trawlers. Who knows… maybe some day. 🙂